University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Business Associate Professor George Krueger is giving his students and local entrepreneurs an insight on how to enhance marketing strategies for small businesses through his podcast titled, “The UWP Professor George’s Podcast.” Krueger combines his academic research along with his experience in developing marketing campaigns for both small businesses and Fortune 100 companies to deliver different themed episodes.
“I take these perspectives I have gained over the years and put them into podcasts and various ways of communicating out into the market,” Krueger said. “I try to provide content to an audience underserved and important for our economy in Southwest Wisconsin.”
The platform allows Krueger to unveil an ecosystem strategy allowing him another avenue to distribute content to area businesses. The subject matter he discusses on his podcast often stems from what he’s teaching in the classroom. Topics range from value equation, social media tips and branding strategies to marketing during a crisis.
“In my classes I talk about how [COVID-19] has changed the game. It has accelerated change,” Krueger said. “You have to adapt to technology, new ways of selling and communicating with customers in a very dynamic environment.”
Krueger emphasizes the importance for small businesses to stay engaged with their customers. He encourages business owners to use their social media strategy and to network with other supplementary businesses and their local chamber of commerce.
“A lot of times in these situations people think they need to do new strategies or new things, which maybe they do, but really focus on the basics and on the customers. It’s vitally important in massive environmental changes,” he said. “It’s an extremely difficult dynamic because if your basic customer behavior changes then you have to get back into that habit. You can’t let people forget about you.”
Krueger, who debuted his podcast in March, notes the majority of his listeners work in small businesses and deal with customers on a daily basis. His next episode will focus on communication styles. He said his favorite part of hosting a podcast is the overall process.
“I enjoy dreaming up the idea, outlining it, putting the content in, cutting the podcast, publishing it and seeing the feedback,” Krueger said. “This is a marathon not a sprint. You build your audience over time. You have to have the content and you never know when something is going to hit or miss. You have to keep at it. I try to post something every week or every other week to keep things rolling and fresh.”
The feedback has been positive, and he has even heard from current and former students. “I try to bring a different kind of style into the podcast. I try to be more interesting than just the facts,” he said. “People appreciate I bring in a little bit of academics, a little bit of big business theory and small business into it. I think people find my unique perspective relevant. I’m getting a lot of students who are interested in entrepreneurship who are also interested in the podcast too.”